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Reviews

At first I was overwhelmed by all the character descriptions the author threw at you in the very beginning but as the book actually introduced the character into the story line it was easier to follow. The main plot of the book was thrown at the reader in the first 20 pages and then not talked about for another 25.

I kept wondering if maybe I was wrong and that wasn’t the key plot. Again as the story continued to develop it made more sense. This is why I always tell my book club members you have to read at least 50-75 pages before you decide whether you like or dislike a book. The author’s darn description of the breads, muffins and the chocolates made me hungry. Made me want to run to Panera Bakery and buy some bread since I don’t make my own. I loved finding the recipes in the back of the book.

I would recommend this book to my friends. The book overall was an enjoyable read. It kind of reminds me of the Diane Mott Davidson Mystery books about Goldie the caterer.

Pam(04/20/08)

Heavenly Pleasures

I received this book wanting to love it. I enjoy light hearted mysteries and this seemed like it would fit the bill. My problem? I did not enjoy the characters and the writing style. It is a little too detailed for my taste and I kept wanting to yell "Get on with the story!!" Ms. Greenwood is a very witty writer. Her characters say things that I sometimes wish I could think to say. But sometimes witty comes off as too sassy or even too self-interested. The mystery part was okay...with a twist at the end. I cannot give it a lower rating because I think the reason I did not enjoy it is more a matter of taste.

Cathy(04/19/08)

Hungry to the End

Kerry Greenwood's Heavenly Pleasures is a reading appetite pleaser if you are a fan of mysteries involving solving crimes while the protagonist is cooking, baking and of course eating. The plot is not hard to follow or figure out, but this easy read is humorous, sometimes touching and delicious to the end!

Joyce(04/17/08)

Heavenly Pleasures

Heavenly Pleasures is a good summer read. It is one of a series, "A Corinna Chapman Mystery" written by Kerry Greenwood. Corinna runs a bakery called Earthly Delights on the corner of Flinders Lane and Calico Alley in the city of Melbourne. She lives above the bakery in a Roman apartment house with mosaics and Roman names for all the apartments.

The other tenants in the building and shopkeepers on the street are delightful characters of all ages; e.g. a retired professor, two "goth" girls, a witch (who does fortunes), a woman of wealth and refinement, a computer genius and a multitude of felines with their own personalities. Daniel, a detective, is Corinna's lover and is hired by the sisters who own the chocolate shop "Heavenly Pleasures" to find the person injecting chili sauce and soy sauce in their candy.

If you like quirky, funny characters who help each other in times of need, you will enjoy this book. Fans of Alexander McCall Smith should try this series.

Linda(04/16/08)

I loved this book-

There seems to be an abundance of mystery series books out right now. There is a heroine who runs a tea shop, coffee shop, knitting shop, lives in the apartment above and solves mysteries in her spare time with people who come to be your best friends as well as hers. This is one of those books, and it is very good and very entertaining. No, it is not Hemingway or Christie. But you will love it. Food, cats, engaging characters, a few entwining story lines. I highly recommend it for a weekend of sheer escape and enjoyment. You will be sorry when you finish the book and the people are no longer part of your household.

Tracy(04/15/08)

Heavenly Pleasures

Much to my surprise I had a very difficult time with this book. I had a great deal of trouble parsing the characters and grasping a sense of place. Even taking into account tones and colloquialisms I struggled to find a connection with the book. I liked the characters and I longed for crisp, clean dialog and description to build toward something fun and exciting. It didn't happen for me. I simply became more frustrated until the book became a chore.

Pamela(04/15/08)

A very heavenly read.

I enjoyed getting to know all the characters in the story. Insula seems to a very interesting place to live with different names for each apartment and the people (who are definitely of interest) who occupy them. The story was easy to read and kept my interest and guessing though out. Kerry Greenwood does have a way with phrases.

Patty(04/14/08)

Heavenly Pleasures by Kerry Greenwood

Heavenly Pleasures was a delightful surprise. The story takes place in Melbourne, Australia so one must get acclimated to words and phrases that can be odd and peculiar to a reader living in the United States. However, this is a tiny glitch in the reading and very surmountable. The story revolves around Corinna...an accountant turned bread maker...and her boyfriend Daniel, her cat Horatio, her apprentice Jason and a motley assortment of quirky, odd and lovable characters who live in her neighborhood.

The book is a typical who done it...that is quite interesting...someone is injecting chili pepper sauce into gourmet chocolates...oh...there is a bombing and a sort of kidnapping and lots of mysterious characters. All of this is far from the best part of the book which is the delightful infusion of kitty characters...this was all such a wonderful reading romp for me...if you love cats you will adore this book. Just one more thing about this book...you will crave freshly baked bread for about a week after reading it...this book is a delightful must read!!!

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